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Utvecklingssamarbete / Development Cooperation

Development Cooperation with Pakistan

Pakistan was one of the earliest and largest recipients of Swedish Governmental Development Co-operation support. This co-operation, which was poverty-oriented, was cut down during the 1970s, after the creation of Bangladesh. However, from the 1980s until the end of the 1990s, Pakistan was one of the biggest recipients of contract-financed technical assistance from Sweden.

In 1998 it was decided that the co-operation between Sweden and Pakistan should focus on equality of opportunity, respect for human rights, governance, the fight against corruption, as well as for a sustainable environment.

In 1999, this programme was revised and new guidelines recommended that Swedish support to Pakistan should aim at strengthening democratic institutions in the country and at increasing the respect for human rights. Support to the civil society through NGOs was included.

In 2007 Sweden’s Development Co-operation underwent a major reform aiming at making it more effective by focusing bilateral Co-operation to fewer countries. This did not however affect areas such as humanitarian aid, good governance and support to civil society in the case of Pakistan.

Today, Swedish Development Co-operation with Pakistan has the following profile:

  • substantial humanitarian aid;
  • substantial contribution to the European Union´s development programme;
  • substantial contributions to the UN and international financial institutions development programmes;
  • support channelled through Swedish NGOs;
  • Pakistani participation in Swedish international training programmes;
  • minor projects (technical assistance) aiming at strengthening democratic institutions, as well as support to institutions in the economic sphere or projects that in other ways promote good governance. Projects in the field of environment can also be considered.


Sweden’s humanitarian aid to Pakistan amounted last year to approximately SEK 365 million (USD 58 million) and its support to NGO:s approximately 4,5 million USD.
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